IoD responds to latest migration figures

“UK employment figures continue to perform strongly, with job vacancies at an all-time high. As a result, skills gaps are opening up across the economy. Individuals from abroad play a crucial role in addressing these shortages, in sectors from agriculture right through to financial services. But international workers also bring new ideas, management techniques, and a wealth of knowledge about foreign markets, which helps lift British trade and productivity.

“With a stretched labour market, maintaining our attractiveness to international talent and bolstering businesses’ access to global skillsets will be essential. The Government’s aim for an ambitious post-Brexit labour mobility scheme is welcome, but we also need to see the Government creating a positive overall migration policy later on this year that enables companies to take advantage of opportunities for growth around the world.”